


Just A Jump To The Left

by sleepismyfriend



Category: Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005), The Sarah Jane Adventures
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-21
Updated: 2010-10-28
Packaged: 2017-10-12 19:25:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/128242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepismyfriend/pseuds/sleepismyfriend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor goes to 1976 to retrieve one Liz Shaw.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

From her favourite chair, Liz didn't notice the sudden shift in scenery outside her front window, having enjoyed a rare afternoon cup of tea away from her lab with a book in her hand. The knock on the front door, however, was another story as she uncurled her legs out from under her, stood up, and moved towards it.

A young man, wearing a brown tweed jacket and green-checked bowtie greeted her, turning around to face her as soon as she opened the door, leaving her hand on the knob. "Oh, good, I see I've got the 1976 you. They'd never let me forget it if I got it wrong."

"Excuse me?"

"There isn't time to explain. C'mon." He grabbed her by the hand and pulled, leaving her little room to react as the door slammed closed behind her. She was glad she hadn't pulled her boots off after all.

"What is this? Some sort of joke?" Around her front bush they went, and that's when she saw the big blue police box sitting on her lawn and knew this had to be more than just some sort of prank. "Doctor? Doctor, if this is really you, I demand you let go of me this instant."

The Doctor stopped, dropping her wrist as he turned to look at her.

"What part of 'we don't have time for this' did you not understand?" He cocked his head at her, their gaze locking as his eyes darted back and forth and she summed up his appearance. "I've come to collect you, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw. Consider it of utmost importance."

"I'm not going anywhere." She pointed to the TARDIS before placing her hands on her hips. "Because the last time I saw you, you were a curly haired dandy who could barely get that thing to lift off the ground, to say nothing about travelling through time and space."

"But that was a long time ago for the both of us, well, for me more so than you." He motioned to the TARDIS. "Certainly, you trust I've had the time to work out a few kinks and bugs?"

"No." Liz shook her head, unwilling to believe that travel of any kind in the TARDIS with the Doctor was one hundred percent safe.

"You do understand the concept of time and space, right? That I can just come and go at a moment's notice? With hundreds of years to spare?"

"With that face?"

"I've certainly have had worse, and you my dear Liz, are getting us off track." He pointed at her. "We need to go."

"Where? When?"

"2012. March, to be exact, although I'm sure if I'm a few days off, the others will understand though I have been working on being more accurate." He stepped closer to her. "There are two very sick people out there that need you."

"Why me?"

"Because you're a biological match, that's why. According to Martha and Rory, it has to do with harvesting DNA and cells that I'm quite sure I only heard half the explanation of because Sarah and Luke were discussing a recent rather large temporal distortion along the Seine and that conversation sounded far more interesting--" The Doctor waved his arms around as he spoke.

"Doctor—"

"Really, Liz, you should meet Sarah's son, except that you will one day, I suppose. He's brilliant, the way he connects things back and forth. Looks a lot like my former self, actually, but that is so a matter for another day when Sarah isn't listening—"

"Do you ever stop talking, Doctor?" Now, her head was cocked at him as he shut his mouth. "No, I suppose there are some things that are still just universally you."

She sighed away her smirk, looking away as she put together the pieces. "You used the word 'genetic' and 'biological'. That means I'm a relation to whoever you want me to help--"

"Yes." The Doctor nodded his head. "Very much so."

"Well, doesn't taking me to my own future violate some kind of Time Lord rule of yours?"

"I'm the only one left. No one's rules left to break but my own." He sighed, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. "I did say it was of the utmost importance."

"Yes, yes you did. But, why this me? Why not ask the future version of me? Unless—" Liz thought about it for a moment, losing several shades of colour in her face.

"No, no." He stopped her, taking her by the arms to make her stop talking and then stepping back. "Don't even entertain that train of thought. Just know that it's, well, it's more than complicated. I wouldn't have come here if it could be fixed any other way."

"The laws of space-time usually are complicated." She raised an eyebrow. "Even in theory."

"If I promise to explain everything once we arrive, can we go? I do hate to keep the Brigadier waiting. You know how he hates to wait on me. I can feel his grumpy scowl from here." He tilted his head and waited for her to make up her mind, knowing that he could just do the obvious and take her without her permission. However, he also knew that taking her without her permission would never sit well with Alistair.

Liz bit down on her lip, staring at the younger Doctor. "You can do this. I have faith in you."

He teetered back and forth, continuing to watch her response. "But I don't know if you have enough faith in yourself. It takes great strength to see the road ahead and not know whether or not you can accept the path travelled. Believe me, I've had that experience more than once."

"So, I'll help these people, and you'll bring me straight back?" Her voice quivered little, though her insides were more than fluttering about.

"That's the plan. Straight there, and straight back." He nodded his head.

"And you promise I'll be safe?"

"On both of my hearts."

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Doctor." She sighed. "Let's go."

"That's the spirit." He smiled, turning and holding his arm out towards the TARDIS, allowing Liz to walk ahead of him as he continued talking. "I think you're in for a real treat. I just fixed the dimensional--"

"Doctor—"

"Oh, right, sorry. You haven't seen her off the ground yet. Might be best to wait till after we take off."

\--

  
Martha and Rory were standing to one side of Martha's office, staring at the lit x-rays on the wall as the sudden shift in the light of the room caused them to stop and turn to face the impending landing. Sarah was sitting off to one side with Luke, but both jumped up as all of them waited.

After a few minutes, the doors opened and the Doctor's head popped out.

"Hello everyone, how long was I gone?" He asked, and Sarah looked to her watch as Rory and Martha exchanged glances.

"Forty-five minutes or so?" Martha looked to Sarah.

"Forty-seven and a half, to be exact." Sarah looked up from her watch, dropping her wrist as the Doctor looked to her, and she smiled. "Which is definitely a new record for him."

"Yes." The Doctor gave himself a mental congratulatory pat on the back before stepping forward to pat the side of the TARDIS's door. "That is what I am talking about. Over nine hundred years, and I finally get the guidance systems calibrated properly. That takes skill, you know. Slept through that class quite a bit in school."

He stepped out of the TARDIS, but the door remained open and they were curious as to whether or not anyone else would follow.

"Heh, last time you said that, the TARDIS ended up underwater for seventeen hours during fish migration." Rory added. "Although, the colours were remarkable, I'll have to give you that. I see you didn't leave the parking brakes on again."

"Oh, quiet you." The Doctor waved Rory off. "Just because Mr. Amy Pond decided to take some outrageous holiday with River in Egypt does not give you, Mrs. Amy Pond, the right to be cheeky. I half expect Interpol to call us any moment now."

"But I'm Mr. Amy Pond." Rory pointed to himself.

"After your last fight with Amy?" The Doctor motioned to the TARDIS, smirking. "C'mon, Rory, we both know you're the missus."

"Doctor—" Martha gave him a warning glance, her hands on her hips. "This really isn't the time. Were you successful?"

"Where's Alistair?" The Doctor's expression went serious as he looked between the four people, waiting on one of them to give him an answer.

"In Katie's room," Luke said, standing next to Sarah and speaking for the first time. "At least, he was there about ten minutes ago. Her fever spiked. We really didn't expect you back quite so soon."

"Of course not, Lukey-boy. The universe forbids the Doctor ever be successful and on time for anything." The Doctor turned around, intending on entering the TARDIS, but then pausing to look over his shoulder as his voice lowered. "You should think better of me, Martha Jones."

He then entered the TARDIS, leaving the door open and walking towards the console where Liz was standing, staring up and down and around as it was obvious that she was more than nervous. Stopping at a fair distance, he watched her for a moment before clearing his throat.

"I—" She started to speak, but found her voice unable to as her hands gripped each other tight. "This is incredible."

"Yes, well." A small smirk turned at the corner of his lips as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Everything is, at some point or another. That's what the universe is full of, incredible things."

"You got me here, Doctor. You can stop with the gloating now." Liz smiled, looking up and down again before touching the edge of the console. She watched him sigh as she pulled away from the console and walked towards him. "Do they know I'm in here?"

"They have their suspicions. I'm sure walking out that door would confirm them." He motioned to the door. "Especially in that outfit. It's been a long time since anyone's seen you, well, in those boots."

"And Alistair's really out there?" Liz ignored his comment for the more pressing issue at hand.

"Well, not in that particular room. But, yes." The Doctor sighed again. "He's here. I should go find him actually. Let him know I've arrived. He'll be quite relieved, I imagine."

Liz felt her emotions bubbling to the surface as she thought of seeing Alistair as an old man as opposed to the gruff soldier she remembered. "You promise me I'm not dead?"

"Can I make such a promise?" The Doctor retorted back, and Liz crossed her arms. "I did tell you not to entertain such thoughts, Liz. Don't you trust me?"

"Trust is a relative issue with you, Doctor. When it comes to dealing with alien species? I'll defer to your vast judgment. However, this is my future we're talking about. I'm bound to ask more than a few questions."

"Yes, well, you wouldn't be you if you didn't."

Liz paused. "I suppose now is as good as time as any to break a few of those laws of yours. You said there were sick people involved. The sooner it's done, the better."

"Martha will be glad to hear you say that. And Alistair, and the rest of them, come to think of it." He thought about it for a moment. "And me as well. It's been far too long since I knew a human who—"

He paused as he stared at her, almost as if he could see her timeline changing in front of him. "Who could relate. In the name of science, of course. There's no dumbing things down, or using silly words to explain the simplest of Newton's laws. You are unique, you know. Never forget that."

"You flatter me, Doctor, when I know precisely different." She stepped up next to him as he offered his arm out. To his surprise, she looped her arm through his, giving a good squeeze before motioning towards the open door. He smiled, walking them the short distance before dropping his arm.

"Are you scared?" He watched her eyes glaze over as she could see the light of the office, and the side of someone standing in her view. It made the trip even more real.

"Absolutely terrified." Her eyes wanted to fill up with tears as the butterflies in her stomach decided to play violent ping-pong. "I don't suppose you have any brilliant suggestions?"

"Just be yourself. They'll like that." He smiled. Liz took a deep breath before walking forward, and he closed the door of the TARDIS behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liz Shaw is introduced to Sarah, Rory, Martha, and Luke.

Rory and Martha hadn't moved from where they were standing as Liz exited the TARDIS, careful of where she stepped. She looked from Sarah to Luke, and then to Rory and Martha to gauge who she was looking at.

"Hello," she said, once again putting her hands together to keep from shaking. The Doctor came from behind her, touching her arm.

"It's alright, Liz. We're all friends here, aren't we, Sarah?" He looked to Sarah, who nodded her head with a smile.

"Why, yes, of course. Hello, Liz, it is good to see you." She offered her hand out as Liz studied her. "Even if you haven't met me yet. Sarah Jane Smith. This is my son, Luke."

"Hello," Luke said, giving a small wave and smile. Liz accepted Sarah's hand as the light bulb clicked, and she remembered a past conversation with Alistair that was even farther in the past now than it was before.

"You're that reporter. The one who broke into UNIT, I'm sure of it. Alist--The Brigadier wasn't quite sure about you at first." Liz took a step back, and the Doctor fought back several smirks by putting his hand over his mouth and appearing to be concerned. "Not that he's every really sure about anyone, I suppose. The Doctor here is a prime example."

"Oh, there's no doubt about that." Sarah shot a look to the Doctor. "It always happens at some point or another. It's what ties us together, doesn't it?"

"Absolutely." Liz placed one hand on her stomach, trying to appease the moving butterflies that were unlikely to stop playing ping-pong. "Until you stop handing him test tubes."

"Try joking about going home." Sarah added, crossing her arms.

"Oy!" The Doctor protested. "Not meant to be the topic of conversation, thank you very much. Moving right along. Right this way, Liz."

He then touched Liz's elbow, guiding her over to where Martha and Rory were standing. "Rory, Martha, this is Liz. Liz, Martha and Rory. Martha here is a doctor, a medical one. Rory, well, Rory's working on it. Slowly, I might add."

"Hello." Rory nodded his head, ignoring the Doctor.

"Hello," Liz said.

"Hello," Martha said. "I bet this is all rather awkward, isn't it?"

"If you're talking about time travel, yes, him?" She pointed to the Doctor. "No. In my relatively short span of time with him, I had gotten used to it. It's been quite a while since I've done anything particularly out of the ordinary. I should have known I was due."

"Whatever the case may be." Martha smiled. "We are all glad to see you."

"Thank you," Liz said, sighing. As Martha, Rory, and Liz continued to talk back and forth, the Doctor stepped back to talk with Sarah and Luke.

"Do you want me to let him know she's here?" Sarah asked, just loud enough for the Doctor to hear and he shook his head.

"No, I'll go. Luke said Katie's fever had spiked. He won't leave her, no matter what the circumstances." The Doctor was thankful that sometimes, in some places in the Universe that he had more than one person to rely on. "Be right back."

He turned, but then placed a hand on Sarah's arm. "Do make sure Martha is careful, Sarah. It won't do anyone any good to let her go wandering off. I know Martha knows, just like I know you know and Rory knows, just--"

He was pointing to Liz, who had given up on the x-rays to stand and talk human physiology with the likes of Rory as Martha listened. It made the Doctor proud to know that Liz was trying to deal with what was being thrown at her, even if it meant facing her fears.

He would worry about the spoilers she was getting later.

"I'll keep an eye out." Sarah nodded, not needing the Doctor to finish his thought as he went ahead and made his exit, turning right down the sterile hallway before reaching the elevator doors. He pushed the up button and waited for the elevator to make its descent, sighing once he realized that the elevator had to come down nine floors just so that he could go up one.

Once he stepped onboard and the doors closed, did he breathe a sigh of relief before the doors opened again. He took a left down the hallway, and as he approached the door that he knew to be Katie's room did he hear the familiar rumble of Alistair's voice soothing the young child.

"There, there, Katie." The Doctor stepped up to the door, observing the flushed five-year old curled up in Alistair's lap with her head tucked under his chin as his arms surrounded her and he rocked back and forth, gently stroking the back of the child's red hair. "Grampa's here."

As Alistair leaned his head against hers, the Doctor's head bowed, sighing and remembering a similar event so long ago that none of these humans would ever have been capable of remembering it. He leaned his forehead against the door and allowed himself the briefest of daydreams.

_"I don't care what you think." He could hear himself saying, standing in the main room of his Gallifreyan home, being nearly eighty years of age in his first incarnation and only showing moderate signs of aging. He felt the tug on his trousers even as the robed person he was yelling after had slammed their door closed. "We're Time Lords!"_

_He took a deep breath as he felt another tug, and bent down to the tiny dark-haired girl barely grown to his knee. He smiled before scooping her up and holding her close in the cradle of his arms. "You know, my dear child, one day, we're going to get out of here, you and I. We'll travel the stars, and I'll show you everything. Would you like that?"_

_He tapped her nose, and she giggled at him. "Of course you would."_

_He leaned his head against hers as her head fit under his chin and he rubbed up and down her back._ Coming out of the memory, the Doctor realized that Alistair had stopped talking and reached for the hospital room door.

\--

  
As he entered, he was careful not to disturb the sleeping girl on Alistair's lap. Alistair's head lifted as he waited for the Doctor to speak.

"She's downstairs," he said softly, before putting one hand to the back of his neck, tapping an unfamiliar rhythm much like his previous incarnation. "Asking Martha and Rory all sorts of questions, no doubt."

"You were expecting something different?" A slow smirk crossed Alistair's lips as he continued to rock back and forth.

"Not really." The Doctor paused, shoving his hands into his pockets and then smiling at his friend. "As she's been more than apt to tell me more than once, there are some things in this universe that are constant despite the time involved. Your wife is one of those things, a handful, no matter when I've seen her."

Alistair smiled before motioning downward. "I suppose we should get her sorted then so we can go ahead and get started."

"I could stay with her if you'd like." The Doctor offered, studying Katie's flushed features and once again remembering a time too long ago when someone that important to him sat in his arms. "While you go downstairs and sort things?"

"And miss all the fun?" Alistair smirked. "Doesn't sound like you to just delegate just like that."

"I'm completely capable of fun all on my own, sir." As Alistair leaned forward, the Doctor stepped up to take Katie from his arms. "Besides, they can do it without me. However, without Luke and Martha, it would take Rory decades to figure out the transfusion. How do you feel about 2065?"

"That's a little out of my time frame." Alistair watched Katie curl into the Doctor as her forehead met his neck, and he tried to resist smiling. "And from the fever, most definitely hers. Bed, Doctor, spit-spot."

"And off we go." The Doctor smiled, rubbing a hand up and down Katie's back as he moved towards the bed and carefully set her down. Her limbs were limp as he lifted her feet and reached for the sheet and blanket to cover her. "Right then, I may not be your Grampa, but I certainly do more than an ample job of tucking you in. Not that I've had much practice recently although I did meet Amy when she was little."

He then stood, inspecting his work as Alistair spoke.

"You know, you honestly don't give that boy downstairs enough credit, Doctor." Alistair said, leaning on his cane and waiting on the Doctor to go with him downstairs. He was thinking of the Doctor's previous comment about Rory's inadequacy. "He helped you figure out what was wrong long before Luke and Sarah Jane arrived."

The Doctor straightened, and turned to face one of his oldest friends in the universe. "We got lucky, that's all."

"They would both be dead," he said as the Doctor approached him, his expression changing as he looked to Katie. "Both my girls."

"But they're not—Not today, or tomorrow, I promise you. The joys of time travel." The Doctor watched his sad eyes and could see the timeline changes rippling in front of him, waiting for the decisions and the outcome to cement them to reality. "Any place, any time, any event. Or more than one sometimes."

"You did explain to Doctor Jones the importance of who and what Lizzie comes into contact with, right? Just so she doesn't run into—"

"Yes, yes, of course." The Doctor waved his hands about as Alistair moved towards the door, expecting the Doctor to follow behind him when he heard Katie's voice calling out to him.

"Grampa?" He turned, his cane clicking against the floor before stopping at the side of her bed.

"Katie, you need to close your eyes and rest. That's an order." She wasn't one of his officers, so an actual order was unlikely to work though she had her fun in the past playing UNIT soldier. It didn't stop him from wishing that she would listen.

"Where are you going?" She coughed, and he put his palm against her forehead, and then her cheek.

"I'm going to help the Doctor and Martha and Rory make you and Gramma feel better." He smiled, resting his cane on his wrist before reaching for the covers and pulling them up. "So we can all go home."

"I like Rory. May I come with you?" She asked, and Alistair shook his head.

"No, Katie, I need you to stay here."

"May I?" As Alistair nodded, the Doctor moved around to the other side of Katie, sitting himself on the edge of the bed. "Do you remember when the bad guys came, Katie?"

Katie nodded. "Do you remember how scared you were?"

"Gramma pushed me behind her."

"That's right, she did, didn't she?" He tapped her on the nose, accentuating every word with a tap. "Because your Gramma is a very smart lady, and didn't want to see you get hurt."

"Doctor—" Alistair gave a warning, and the Doctor looked over at him before continuing. He knew which parts of the story to tell, and turned his attention back to the five-year old.

"Your Gramma took a very hard hit, Katie. Much harder than you. She's not quite as strong as she used to be. Now, downstairs, there's this brilliant woman who's come a long way to make sure that you both get better. She's going to help us, but your Grampa and I have to go downstairs. You understand, don't you? You want Gramma to get better?"

"Yes." She nodded her head again.

"Good girl." The Doctor grinned, touching the top of Katie's head with one hand. "We could send Luke though up if you'd like? He's great company. I know that for a fact."

"Okay." She shrugged her shoulders and sighed in defeat as the Doctor stood up and ruffled her hair before moving across the room. Alistair went through the door first, but as the Doctor went to exit, he turned around and winked at Katie.

No one was going to die on his watch.


	3. Chapter 3

"Wait, Doctor, one stop," Alistair said, and the Doctor knew which stop he was referring to as Alistair turned and went the opposite direction of the elevator one door past Katie's. The Doctor followed behind, and knew that this was going to take a minute, but that it was okay.

He knew that Alistair needed the moment alone, but that didn't stop him from peering in the door window and watching the interaction as it unfolded.

Alistair pulled up the stool next to the bed and sat down, setting his cane to the side and reaching for his wife's IVed hand. It was warmer than it had been the last time he had checked in on her.

"Well, Lizzie, you'd down right tell me I'm bloody nuts if you could." He ran his free hand over his face, leaning his elbows on the side of the bed. "For asking the Doctor to go back and do this, but I'm not sorry. If there was ever a time we truly needed him, now is that time."

Liz didn't answer, the machines ensuring her breaths remained steady as the monitors continued to beep around her. "I understand you were just trying to protect Katie, I do, but I'm not ready to let you go yet."

He paused, lifting her hand to his cheek. "I'm afraid I don't quite know how this time travel thing works with him, whether you or your younger self will ever remember this or not, but I don't care."

He kissed her hand and then set it back down on the bed before standing. Reaching for his cane, he bent down to plant a kiss on her forehead. "For now, it's worth the risk. I love you."

He then straightened up, and the Doctor took a step away from the door just to be safe as Alistair exited. They walked alongside one another back down the hall to the elevator where the Doctor pushed the down arrow and they waited.

"You don't have to do this, you know," he said, wanting to ease the obvious pain that Alistair was going through. "I could do the sorting."

"You've all ready plucked my wife from her own timeline, Doctor. I'm sure a visit with her is only the tip of the iceberg," he said, as the elevator chimed and the doors opened. They both stepped forward, Alistair going first. "When this works, the current Lizzie is going to give me an earful."

"As long as I get her back. That's the key, paradoxes and all," the Doctor said, hitting the button as the doors closed. They made their way to Martha's office, only to find Sarah and Luke in the office talking amongst themselves.

"Mum, I really think that maybe we should have—" Luke broke off as the Doctor and Alistair entered the room and his attention shifted to them.

"Really should have what?" The Doctor asked, and Luke shook his head.

"Nothing. Just talking about maybe how we should have gone upstairs. Left you down here," Luke replied. "Rory and Martha were just examining the latest lab results."

"Oh, really? I should like very much to see them," the Doctor said. "Where are they, anyway? Them being Rory, Martha, and Liz, not the lab results."

"Oh, they took Liz down for some sort of special scan." Sarah spoke next, looking between Luke and the Doctor. "They wanted to make sure that she was fit for the transfusion."

"And they would be concerned about that because?" The Doctor looked to Luke.

"Just checking to make sure that the artron energy hasn't affected her cellular makeup or anything like that. An overall scan, just to make sure it will go smoothly." Luke nodded his head.

"But why would the—Oh, never mind, I'm going to go find out for myself what's going on." The Doctor waved his arms around. "I leave him for five minutes, five minutes, and he goes off thinking that my TARDIS could possibly do the greatest amount of damage. Why would I ever take any of you with me if I thought that was a possibility?"

He sighed in disgust.

"Doctor." Sarah moved, touching his arm in a gesture of comfort. "It's not that any of us think that you would do such things, but you will admit that after a while, the TARDIS does change you. Not necessarily in bad ways at all. Travel broadens the mind, wouldn't you agree?"

"Nice try, Sarah." The Doctor tried to smile, but found himself wanting to bite his tongue. "However, you and I both know of the effects of artron energy. It's a harmless trickle of energy through your cells at most. Ask your son here about his best friend. He was shocked with an enormous amount of it, and he turned out just fine."

"But Clyde wasn't trying to combat the effects of an alien poison." Luke piped in. "This is serious. What happens if somehow the contamination works backwards? What if whatever Aunt Liz and Katie have in their systems infects Aunt Liz's younger self? Talk about paradoxes. We could unravel everything, or unravel nothing. We're only trying to be careful."

"Careful, I understand, stupidity, I do not. But I suppose that's what happens when I travel—"

"Doctor—" It was Alistair's turn to speak. "Whatever needs done, get it done, man. We don't have time to argue semantics. It's better to be safe than sorry any day. Let Doctor Jones and Rory do the bloody scan, and let them do it without argument."

"Right, sorry, Alistair." The Doctor bowed his head, scowling inwardly as his fists balled up in his pockets. "This is your call. We'll do things your way."

The Doctor went over and sat in the chair that Sarah had been occupying earlier, crossing his arms and staring off into space as Alistair and Sarah exchanged glances. She did her best to hide the smirk that had crossed her lips as Alistair turned his attention to Luke.

"Could you go upstairs and be with Katie, Luke? She doesn't really like the idea of being by herself," Alistair said, before shooting a look over to the Doctor and back again. "I would, but I'm needed down here."

"Sure, no problem. I'll let you know if something happens," Luke said. Sarah nodded her head, touching his arm before he moved forward and Alistair put a hand on his shoulder as he passed.

"Good man." Alistair smiled, turning then to Sarah. "I don't know what I would have done without any of you. I can't thank you enough, Sarah Jane."

"It's not necessary to thank me, Brigadier." She touched his arm, smiling at the use of his old name before looking over to the brooding Time Lord. She walked the short distance to the Doctor, perching her hip on the edge of the chair. "You can't seriously be cross with Martha and Rory."

"Why not?" His hands remained under his armpits.

"Because." She tilted her head to the left, looking down at him. "If you get to be mad at them for being extra careful, then I get to be mad at you for any number of things."

The Doctor huffed, and rolled his eyes and Sarah continued. "Now, you told me once that Liz never travelled with you in the TARDIS because it was when you were exiled here on Earth. If the slightest bit of artron energy might change the results of the test, wouldn't it be worth it to take the ten minutes necessary for the scan? Just to be sure?"

"I suppose." He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees as he looked to the TARDIS.

"Come now, Doctor, you're more sensible than that. Especially when it comes to our safety." Sarah resisted the urge to ruffle his hair, especially when it seemed that he was getting younger all the time. However, that didn't stop her from touching the base of his neck and applying gentle pressure across it.

"Thank you, Sarah Jane, for being--" The Doctor paused. "You."

"You're welcome." Sarah then looked to Alistair with a small smile right before Rory appeared in the doorway with a file folder in his hands.

"We're ready, at least, we think we're ready. Scan checked out perfect." He swallowed the lump in his throat and clutched the file tight. "Martha asked me to come get you, Doctor, and you, Sarah Jane. She thought the younger Liz might like the company. There's no way of telling how painful the procedure might be."

"Yes, of course," Sarah said as her and the Doctor stood up.

"Right this way," he said, leading the way as the other three followed him down the hallway.

\--

  
Liz was lying on her side, staring out into the space in front of her with one arm under her head and the other bandaged one across her stomach. She sat up as the door opened and Sarah Jane and Rory came in with the Doctor behind them.

Liz didn't know if anything could have prepared her for the sight of Alistair entering, leaning more and more on his cane as his eyes went straight to her and a lump caught in her throat.

"We're ready, Doctor." Martha turned from what she was doing to face the group as her eyes went back and forth between Alistair and Liz. "But we can start whenever you'd like."

She shrugged her shoulders as the Doctor's expression mirrored hers, and he too looked between Alistair and Liz to see the silent conversation they were having back and forth.

"Okay--" the Doctor said, standing between Rory and Sarah, and putting one hand on Rory's shoulder. "Rory, I'll assume you have the results of all this?"

"Yeah," he said, motioning to the folder in his hands. "Everything's right here."

"Could we go over it? In the hall, of course." He asked, and from the funny look on Rory's face, lifted his eyebrows. "In the name of being safe and all, of course, I'd like to go over the results with you and Martha. Make sure there aren't any discrepancies or anything. It won't take but a minute."

The Doctor pushed Rory towards the door they had just entered, shooting a look to Alistair before looking over his shoulder at the sound of Sarah saying his name.

"Mind if I keep you company?" Sarah asked, and he held his arm out.

"Well, of course, who else is going to keep me company? C'mon." She stepped forward and he placed his arm across her shoulders as they all exited. It left Alistair and Liz alone, and both could feel the amount of tension rise. Liz gripped the side of the bed as Alistair studied her before looking away.

"Doctor, we don't have time—" Martha's hands remained on her hips as the Doctor held up his hand, having turned to watch Liz and Alistair's interaction.

"I assure you, we have time for this." He stood between Sarah and Rory, his arms crossed with his head angled as he watched two of his oldest friends keep their distance.

"It's strange, isn't it? Seeing your future self," Rory said, staring at the pair as the Doctor's eyes shifted up towards him. "Or for that matter, your younger one. Even stranger when it's someone you know."

"We get the point. All a bit unnerving, yes." And before Rory could say anything else, the Doctor pointed his finger at Alistair and Liz. "Quiet. I can't eavesdrop if everyone keeps talking."

"What about the results?" Martha moved to the other side of Rory, looking at the Doctor.

"I trust you, Martha—I trust you both." He shot a look to Rory. "After all, you're the Doctors here." He smiled, and looked over at Sarah, who put her arm through his. "And we've still got a long way to go."

He sighed, and they all watched the scene play out in front of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alistair tells a story, and the transfusion begins.

"This feels like some dream that I'm going to wake up from." Liz spoke first, staring out to the space in front of her. "Surely, you wouldn't be that cruel."

"No." He shook his head. "Surely not." He took one step forward before catching himself. "What has the Doctor told you?"

"Only enough that seeing you here scares me a little."

"Understandable, of course. I'd be a bit frightened too." It was Alistair's admission of not being the steady and strong soldier that she knew that caused Liz to pause. She had never really heard him admit such things before.

She watched as he moved towards a nearby chair, picking it up and bringing it closer to her while still maintaining some distance. Seeing the frailty of this older Alistair in front of her broke her heart.

"I'm not going to bite you know." She tried to smile as he leaned forward on his cane. It eased her nerves to see him smile as he stood up and brought the chair to the side of her bed.

"Better?" He sat back down again, mimicking his posture from before by leaning forward on his cane and looking at her. She focused on his eyes, and found the familiarity she needed as she nodded.

"The Doctor is rather rubbish when it comes to telling me things." Changing her tone back to a serious one, Liz was willing to put her admission on the table. She knew that she didn't have to ask the question in order to get an answer. "But, you sir, are not."

Alistair avoided her eyes this time, setting his cane to the side and pausing with a deep breath as Liz touched his arm, her touch hesitant first. He shifted straight and her hand retracted back to her lap as he looked at her once again. "I needed the Doctor to bring you here."

"Alright, but why?"

"There were these aliens. Sarah Jane called them the Elvii. Nasty lot, intent on destroying the Earth—"

"Do they ever do anything else?" Liz almost rolled her eyes, but focused on the story being told instead. "Sorry."

"It's all right." He tried to smile, but found his smile falling. "The Elvii had heard about this power source you had been developing. At first, they claimed that they wanted to use the source to power their ships, but we quickly knew better. Sarah Jane tried to negotiate, with the help of Dr. Jones from UNIT and the newly formed Torchwood. But, it wasn't long before we were lead into a trap. The Doctor arrived in the nick of time."

"There's something else. Something you're not telling me." She stared at him. "Out with it."

Liz's heart fell as she noticed the glassy moisture staring to form in his eyes. She had never really seen him display such emotion before. "We didn't know that the Elvii were carrying potent chemical ammunition, unlike anything we have encountered before. They knew where to find you. When you wouldn't give up the location of the source, they aimed their guns at our granddaughter."

Liz wanted to ask another question, but knew the story was getting harder to get out.   
Alistair sighed, and as low as Liz's heart had felt the moment before, it was nothing compared to the feeling of her heart falling out of her chest. "But, you shielded her, and wound up catching the brunt of the blast. It didn't stop Katie from getting sick though."

Alistair dropped his head, taking a deep breath to calm the moisture in his eyes. Liz's own eyes were glassy as she entertained such thoughts of a family with Alistair, only to have them dashed by the thought that she was here because of a tragedy that she might not be able to fix. "So, you brought me here to save her?"

"No." He reached for her hands, brushing over them before taking them in his own. "I brought you here to save you and Katie both. I can't lose you, Liz."

Hearing those words brought home to the Doctor why he had gone back to 1976, as Sarah reached down and put her hand in his, her free hand gently rubbing up and down his left arm. The Doctor's guilt about the Elvii was amplified as he had nearly lost most of his friends, but was trying not to let it show that it bothered him.

Death wasn't supposed to bother him, but after his prophecy with the Ood, he was beginning to reconsider.

"We did everything we could," the Doctor said, next staring out in front of him. The other three nodded their heads.

"We know." Martha moved to stand between the Doctor and Rory, contributing to comforting the Doctor in the same way Sarah was, rubbing up and down his other arm before giving a pat on the shoulder and then pulling back. "But, there are just some things that we can't stop, Doctor. You taught us that."

"And other things." Rory added, with his arms crossed. "You taught us other things too. Like never ask for an Arkanian fruit basket in the dead of their winter solstice—"

"Or expect any kind of decent plumbing in Shakespeare's time." Martha wiggled her nose.

"And when all else fails, run." Sarah gave him a warm smile. "Among other things."

"Yes, many other things." The Doctor smiled back at her, giving her hand a squeeze. They looked back over to Alistair and Liz to see that both of them were standing, wrapped up in a hug.

"I think I'll go check on Luke and Katie." Sarah offered, and the Doctor nodded his head as she made her way down the hall to the elevator.

"I'll go—Yeah, have someone prep the necessary equipment," Rory said, and both the Doctor and Martha nodded their perspective heads. The Doctor turned his attention back to Alistair and Liz.

"Thank you, Lizzie." Alistair said, pulling back and wiping the tears from her cheeks as she did the same to him. From the raised eyebrow, he smirked. "Liz, sorry. Quite a few years until I'm allowed to call you Lizzie."

He had dropped his hands, but had reached for one of hers to hold onto.

"I don't mind." She smiled, and then looked over to the door where the Doctor and Martha were talking back and forth. "I suppose we should let them get started."

Alistair reached for his cane, and didn't drop her hand until their fingertips could no longer touch. Liz situated herself back on the bed before calling out to him as he turned. "Yes?"

"Would you be there for me? When they do all this? Despite what may or may not happen to us, you're still my friend. I'd like you to be here."

A warm smirk crossed Alistair's lips. "I'll see what I can do."

\--

  
It was disorienting to say the least when Liz heard the elder Liz being rolled into the space next to her. Martha had done her best to make sure that both Liz's didn't come into contact, but that didn't stop the Liz from wondering about herself. Lying on her side, she was very much awake listening to Martha and the nurse prep the elder Liz.

The Doctor was present too, and Liz heard him talking with Sarah quietly. It was obvious that they were trying not to argue as Martha interjected several of his key points.

"Doctor, you cannot just jump into procedures like this. So, be patient and wait till we're ready for you." Liz heard Martha say, and felt Alistair's fingers tighten around hers. She needed to remain calm.

"Since, I stepped foot out of the TARDIS, I've been thinking--" She looked up at Alistair, changing the topic to something that had been going through her mind since she had arrived. "About a lot of things, really. Past, present—It's all pretty much a blur right now. Sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

Rory was standing nearby, pretending not to hear their conversation.

"No." Alistair was wearing the same set of scrubs, cap, and mask as Martha, Rory, the Doctor, and Sarah. She could tell that he was smiling, and the comfort of it nearly broke her heart again. "Nothing stupid about it."

"What if I can't save them?" Her eyes glistened over. "I know little about the modern scientific advancements in this time, but surely, they can't perform the miracles they are suggesting. I--I just don't think I can bear to know that I caused my own death."

He reached down and stroked her cheek as the bright light shone above her head. "There's no way you could cause your own death, Lizzie."

"Martha." Rory was trying to keep his thoughts to himself as he thought of his relationship with Amy, and what he would have done if something had happened to her. He didn't quite have the faith that Alistair seemed to have. "Martha, are you ready?"

"Yes, I believe so." Martha popped her head around the curtain.

"Good. Doctor?" Rory called out, and the Doctor wearing full scrubs popped his head around the curtain as well.

"All set here." He pulled his mask down while shooting a thumb up, giving a look to Liz and Alistair. "Science doesn't wait for anyone, you know."

"Are we sure he hasn't lost a few screws?" Liz looked up, and Alistair sighed.

"Sadly, it's quite possible." Alistair nodded to Rory as a nurse came around the curtain to assist Rory with the extraction process. "But, he wouldn't be the Doctor then."

"Are you ready?" Rory said, holding a needle full of some compound Liz was sure she didn't want to know where it came from. She nodded as her hand gripped Alistair's, and Rory inserted the bluish green liquid into the IV in Liz's hand. Liz immediately flinched as the drugs coursed through her system.

"That has a nasty kick." Liz winced.

"Deep breaths." Alistair instructed.

"Sorry." Rory felt bad for causing her such pain when he knew what she was facing on the other side of the curtain. "It's an accelerated inhibitor. We don't have five days, so this will have to do. Can you turn over for me? We're going to extract from your thigh, and well, it's just easier on your stomach."

Liz nodded her head as Rory handed off the syringe, and then closed her eyes and struggled to focus on the thoughts that were running through her head as she moved onto her stomach, careful of her IV. Alistair sat down in the chair that they had provided for him, his face close to Liz's.

"Listen to me, alright?" Alistair leaned close as Rory and the nurse prepared the needle and syringe. Another nurse came around the corner with Martha to join them as Alistair paid them no attention. "I know many people who could not handle this—"

He flexed his fingers around hers. "But you're one of the ones who can. It all makes sense now. You were always so certain that I loved you, even before I ever said the words. I think that gives you the advantage, don't you?"

Liz smirked, her voice gone soft. "Maybe."

"The things you do today, Lizzie, you'll remember tomorrow." Alistair smirked. "And I'll always be right here waiting for you."

"Excuse me." Once again, Rory felt like he was being the most intrusive person ever on a private moment, even under the circumstances. "We're going to um, give you the anaesthetic now before we harvest the cells."

"Rory?" The Doctor popped his head around the corner, mask down. "What is taking so long?"

"Uh, nothing, Doctor, sorry, we're moving right along."

"Doctor—" Martha warned, and the Doctor poked his head back around the curtain to where the older Liz and the machine were located. Sarah was in there at the Doctor's request, standing with her arms crossed.

"I told you not to do that," Sarah said, as she gave the older Liz a once over. "They're doing their best."

"I know, but I just want to help them." The longer the wait, the more he just wanted to go and do the procedure himself.

"Then be of some help, and wait patiently till it's your turn," Sarah replied, pointing to the machine he would be using. "It's not any easier for them with you hovering."

"You're right, Sarah Jane." He smirked. "I was never good at that whole 'waiting' thing. Quite the opposite."

He turned, and went back around the curtain, saying nothing but watching the procedure play out in front of him.

"Hey." Alistair touched Liz's cheek, stroking back and forth with his thumb as the nurse administered the IV. "Deep breaths for me, alright? You can do this."

"I'm sorry I left." She whispered, flinching through the pain as the anaesthesia began to set in. She gave his hand a loose squeeze.

"Rest, Lizzie." Her eyes had begun to flutter, and he saw the extraction tool Rory was about to use. "I'm not going anywhere."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the younger Liz recovers, the Doctor has a few conversations, to include one with Martha.

The young Liz opened her eyes to see Alistair sitting next to her bed.

"Welcome back." Alistair's smile warmed her as she tried to stretch, and was greeted with a great deal of pain through her right thigh.

"Hi." She concealed her pain with a smile, and then looked to the foot of her bed to see Martha making notes on her clipboard. "Dr. Jones? How did the procedure go? Did you get enough cells? What's the prognosis? Have I woken? What about Katie?"

"The procedure was picture perfect. Katie's recovering nicely. As for the rest, we don't know," Martha flipped through several sheets of paper. "Everything on your end looks good though. Numbers are strong." She pulled the clipboard to her chest. "The better question is, how do you feel?"

"Like a bloody bus ran over me a few times." She tried to sit up, and Alistair let go of her hand to help her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said, sitting back down.

"You need rest." Martha eyed her down. "As you can see, we have an IV hooked up to keep you hydrated—"

"I feel like I could drink an ocean of water." Liz smacked her lips.

"A side effect, I'm afraid. We had no way of telling what the side effect of the inhibitor that the Doctor synthesized—"

"You let him synthesize it?"

"Yes, is that a problem?"

"No wonder it felt so bloody awful. I should have warned you not to let him near a chemistry set. Now he's just getting even. Probably put some strange alien goo that God only knows where he got it from." Liz's arm went across her forehead, as Alistair smirked.

"Sorry?" Martha noticed that the two of them appeared to understand the unspoken joke. "He is rather good, when he wants to be."

"Of that, Doctor, I have no doubt." Liz smiled, and then winced again. "It's nothing, I'm fine. You should probably go check on the other me, Alistair."

"I made you a promise, didn't I? I don't like to fall back on those, you know."

"I know, but there are other people to consider here. I'm the least important in all of this."

"That's what you think," Martha said. "I'll be back to check on you later."

"Thank you, Dr. Jones."

"You're welcome."

\--

  
"Are you supposed to be up and around?" The Doctor came down the hallway and up from behind Liz, touching her shoulder as she stared at the tiny window in Katie's hospital room, still wearing a set of hospital scrubs and a robe with her IV stand next to her.

Her colouring was much better than when he had looked in on her earlier, he decided. He matched her pose, looking inside the room to see Luke was sitting in the rocking chair with Katie in his lap, reading a story. "Martha and Rory don't like people just running off when they're not supposed to. Believe me, they both get rather annoyed about it."

"I just wanted a look." Liz motioned her head. "They tell me I have you to thank for that God awful inhibitor. Feels worse than having my DNA extracted without the anaesthetic."

"Sorry." He sighed. "I didn't actually mean for it to."

"For a Time Lord, remind me to show you how to synthesize properly sometime." Liz tried her best not to glare, and turned her focus back to Katie and Luke. "She's beautiful. You can't blame me for being curious, Doctor." Liz then sighed, her arms crossed tight. "He's been reading her a story."

"She likes stories. Especially ones that involve her Gramma and the brave Doctor." He smiled. "Luke doesn't know too many of those, but they are her favourite."

"When I first got here, her face was still quite flushed, but it looks normal now, don't you think?" Liz smiled as Katie smiled, and then smirked as Katie scrunched up her nose. "She's recovering remarkably."

"Her DNA has been wiped of all traces of the virus. She'll make a full recovery." The Doctor sighed, and then smiled himself. "Would you like to get a closer look? Pop in and say hello?"

"I think you've done enough damage to the space-time continuum for today, don't you? Certainly wouldn't want to add to it." Liz turned away from the door and walked down the hall, one arm remaining around her robed middle as the other held her IV stand. The Doctor walked alongside her, and noticed several winces on her face.

"You shouldn't be walking about." His voice lowered. "There's no telling what kind of—"

Liz held up a palm. "I'm fine. Hip's just a bit sore, that's all."

"Alistair would never forgive me if I didn't make sure you were resting properly." He scratched his nose and they made their way back to Liz's room without any more conversation until he helped Liz back into her bed.

"Has there been any word?" Liz noticed the Doctor's pause. "Right, well, your friends are good. Not letting me see myself."

"Our friends—" He corrected her, pulling the blankets up over her and then smoothing them down. "Are amazing human beings, and when the present you wakes up, you can tell them yourself, so do remember."

"You half-expect me to remember?" Liz stifled a laugh when a pain shot through her hip and she grasped the right hand rail on her bed, her knuckles white.

"I'm going to get Martha." The Doctor gripped the left hand rail, reaching over and checking Liz's pupils with his thumb. "You need something to deal with the pain."

"And risk sleeping through all of this?" Liz smirked, until she saw the Doctor's expression and her face fell. "I'll be fine."

"Nonsense, I'll be back. Don't wander off." The Doctor pointed a finger at her before leaving the room and heading for Martha's office where Rory was sitting across from Martha, his feet in the chair next to him with his hands in his lap.

"Doctor?" Martha saw the look of concern on the Doctor's face.

"The younger Liz is in quite a bit of pain. Not that she would really admit it, or ask for anything." He tried not to grump when he knew that his friends were being stubborn. He noticed Rory looking to Martha. "We do have something we can give her, right?"

"Of course." Martha stood up, and came around her desk. "I mean, I prefer we not use anything in accordance with that inhibitor, but if she's really in that much pain, there are several things we can try. Rory here is the one who's been studying the different pain medications."

"Right." The Doctor put his hands together as Rory stood. "So, Rory—"

"I'll take care of it, don't worry, Doctor." Rory held a hand up before exiting the room, rubbing his neck, leaving the Doctor to stare after him long after he went out of sight.

"Where is Sarah?" He snapped his head back to Martha.

"He thinks you don't find him competent, you know." She sighed, crossing her arms. "He's done above and beyond what you expect of him, and yet, he feels incompetent."

"Whoa, easy now, Martha Jones. I didn't say anything of the kind." He moved into her space, putting his hands up. "And it's not that—I don't find him incompetent. Honestly."

Martha knew from the look in his eyes that he was telling the truth.

"Sarah Jane's with Alistair in Liz's room. Our Liz." She sighed again. "You need to get the younger one back."

"All in due time, and not before we both know she's well enough to go. Certainly can't return her to 1976 with a giant hole in her hip." He put his hands down.

"Well, we certainly can't keep her here for very long. She'll heal just fine. Older Liz should not wake up to find her younger self running around. It's bad enough that the timelines are contaminated."

"And how do we know that, exactly?" The Doctor had taken a step away, and then turned back around, his hands in his pockets. "Because from where I'm standing, maybe all of this was supposed to happen."

"Right." Martha leaned back against her desk. "Because you're just a regular matchmaker among friends."

"Seems to have worked for you, hasn't it?" He waited for her answer, in which Martha sighed for a third time.

"Don't—" Martha wished Mickey were present, instead of running out of country errands for Jack and Torchwood.

"And why not? You travelled with me among the stars, saw things beyond comprehension." He had begun to pace back and forth in front of her. "And then you came home, became a right and proper Doctor, fell in love with—"

He held his hand up in question.

"Tom, his name was Tom." Martha finished his thought, and the Doctor dropped his hand.

"Exactly. But, then, you fell in love with someone else, another man who also had travelled with me, and who had also seen as many extraordinary things as you did, and I'm not going to apologize for something when I didn't do anything wrong." He stopped pacing to face her. "Maybe I was meant to give Liz the push she needed."

"Do you really think that them being together wouldn't have happened without your prompting?"

"Are you telling me that it wouldn't?"

"Doctor—" Martha paused. "People do meet and gravitate towards people with similar experiences without having a Time Lord to intervene."

"Ah, yes, but here's the fun part. See, if I had never thwarted several alien invasions with the then Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, UNIT would have never been formed and the Brigadier would never have contacted Liz about being their scientific advisor."

"Oh, now you're just being ridiculous."

"Really? Because I'm 99.9999% times infinity sure that I'm the only one who can see the whole of space and time, and would know if something isn't where it's supposed to be." The Doctor wasn't about the mention the incident involving the cracks in the universe. "The universe isn't going to collapse today. In fact, I can guarantee that it's going to be a better brighter one."

"You can't guarantee anything of the kind." Martha walked back around the desk, flipping through various papers before stopping to smile. "Despite the face, you still aren't that good."

"No, but we're all changing history." His voice lowered, never losing the smile across his face, but calming the passion in it he had for travelling among the stars and seeing the things that the universe had to offer. "Things won't be the same after this, but that's never always for the bad, Martha. Even now, the cracks of space and time are shifting ever so slightly, allowing for new things to happen. It's all part of what makes the Universe so fascinating."

He had mentioned the cracks, even though he hadn't meant to, and it wasn't in the way that he had experienced. It didn't matter. Martha didn't look like she knew what he was talking about anyway, though he was sure he could explain it to her.

The year that never was had changed his friend, and through everything, he could still tell her things. However, with the weight that looked upon her shoulders, he wasn't sure he wanted to. "I'm going to go find Sarah."

"Alright then." Martha went back to flipping through papers, sitting down and picking up a pen before the Doctor left.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor converses with Sarah as the older Liz awakens.

He noticed Sarah in the hall outside the older Liz's room, sitting down on a bench with her legs crossed and her eyes closed. He didn't approach at first, instead opting to stand and watch her, his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.

"Doctor, you're staring." Sarah opened her eyes, and smiled at him. "Don't really catch you doing that all that often anymore."

"May I join you?" Her nod made him move closer to sit down next to her, noticing every detail of her face and the sleep that she hadn't had. "It's been a long day, hasn't it?"

"No longer than most, I'm afraid." She leaned her cheek on her palm and looked at him. "Some of us have a hard time running our battery on a dead cell, Doctor."

"Yes, well." The Doctor stared out in front of him for a second. "I'm quite sure there are other advantages to you humans that I don't have."

"Oh?" Sarah's ears perked up. "Such as?"

"I don't know." The Doctor thought about it for a moment, many trivial little things coming into his head. "Passion for one. You humans are so passionate when it comes to things. Anything. Everything. You override your head to love with your entire heart even when it costs you everything."

He mentally replayed the moment in which Alistair asked him to go and get Liz from 1976.

"Some beings would say that's our weak point as well." She massaged the crick in her neck. Talking about love certainly wasn't something they did very often. "All these years amongst us humans, and you don't think you share the same passions that we do? About new life? Your TARDIS? The Universe?"

"I suppose." He smiled at her, reflecting for a moment. "As soon as Liz's younger self is able, I have to get her back to 1976."

"I agree, but she certainly isn't in any condition to go now, is she? Martha said that they had to harvest quite a bit from her." Sarah did her best not to cringe at the thought of pain. "She needs to heal."

The Doctor stood up and turned around.

"Yes, but I don't want our Liz to wake up and find herself here." He scratched the back of his head, thinking. "Believe me, I've had that experience, any number of times and it's disconcerting to see your younger self or selves when you're so—"

"Old?" Sarah said, and the Doctor snapped his head down at her. "It's all right to say the word, Doctor. Happens to the best of us."

"I was going to say different." He sighed. "We just need to make sure that they stay separated until she's ready to go back."

"Right, well, that shouldn't be too hard. They're on different floors, and there are plenty of us around to help."

"Like your young son." His expression changed. "I'm fairly sure the youngest member of the Lethbridge-Stewart clan is smitten with your Luke. I found the younger Liz watching them from the hall."

Sarah's grin led to a flush of her cheeks.

"Isn't Katie a bit young for him?" She stood up, and crossed her arms and the Doctor laughed at Sarah's expression.

"Oh, you're the one to talk about age differences, Miss Smith." He smirked as Sarah lowered her head.

"You just said Liz was watching them from the hall." She changed the subject. "How is she?"

"Sore." He sighed. "I asked Rory and Martha about administering some kind of pain medication."

"I see—Doctor, aren't you the least little bit worried about the timelines? After all, you've plucked her from one time to another."

"You and Martha and even Liz." He sighed again, rubbing his eyes and then his face. "Really, Sarah, sometimes I think you lot think that this is my first go-round in the TARDIS, and that I don't know what I'm doing. It's fine. Liz will be fine."

"I know how protective you are about the timelines, Doctor."

The Doctor did the unexpected, and reached up to hold her cheek, speaking in a soft tone. "Then trust me, Sarah."

He turned and walked off, and Sarah sighed.

\--

  
Alistair watched his wife's chest rise and fall with the beep of the monitor. Her vitals were steady, which was a relief, considering that they weren't sure how the transfusion was going to go.

With one hand in hers, he traced a path down her leg with his free hand, resting it against the blanket and careful not to apply too much pressure. He knew that when she woke up, she was going to be sore.

He also knew her various marks and scars, though the specific crescent-shaped one towards the back of her right thigh had plagued him for many years. She had never told him the hows or whys of why it was there. Just smiled and told him that she had forgotten.

Until now, when the crescent made sense.

He was so caught up in his own line of thought that he didn't feel the slight increase of pressure on his hand. By this point, he was leaning forward with his elbows on the bed, and looked up to see her eyes fluttering open.

He gave her a gentle smile and held her hand tight. "Welcome back, Lizzie."

She smiled at him, and started to speak, then winced from the onset of pain. Alistair's look immediately dropped to one of concern. "I'll get Dr. Jones."

"No." He was half-standing and had almost dropped her hand as she spoke, licking her lips for the added moisture as her eyes closed and reopened again. "Stay."

Alistair leaned over, kissing her forehead before settling back down in his chair and holding her cheek. "Alright, I'll stay."

"You did promise me." And from the look on her face, Alistair knew that she remembered, and he smiled again.

"Yes, but that was a long time ago for you." He smirked.

"But not so long for you." She raised an eyebrow. "If I'm right, I'm still here. The Doctor should be taking me back soon?"

"All these years, you knew what was going to happen and didn't say anything." His thumb traced the back of her hand as her words just reinforced his thinking. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it was a long time ago, and he will ask me not to." She tried to smile, but noticed the look on his face. "Oh, it's not like that, Alistair. I certainly haven't kept anymore secrets from you than you've kept from me over the years—"

"Not that I really had a choice—"

"Still not the point," she replied, sighing. "What would you have done if I had told you about this, hmm? You would have torn the universe apart looking for him, demanding answers when you know that he couldn't give them."

"He could."

"No, darling, he couldn't have." Liz pulled her hand out of his and touched the side of his face, along the edges of his beard. "We had so many things that we still needed to experience, and the Doctor didn't want those to be tossed away."

Alistair grunted, looking away, and she waited for him to process what she was saying and continued to rub his cheek. "You asked him to save Katie and I. He wouldn't have done that for just anyone, but there are conditions that come along with it."

It wasn't until her hand dropped to her side a second later that he looked over to see her eyes closed and broke his silence.

"You're right." Still sleepy, her eyes opened once again, narrower this time. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it." He reached for her hand, which had lifted enough to take station on his arm, raising it to kiss it.

Liz smiled.

\--

  
The Doctor was waiting when Alistair exited Liz's room nearly ten minutes later.

"How do you do that?" Alistair shook his head, and his cane made an accidental noise against the floor.

"Do what?"

"Show up when I need you. Unexpectedly." He straightened up, and his eyes narrowed. "You didn't always used to be so precise."

"I have been working on that." The Doctor smiled. "Though, I've always got a bit of help. Having the TARDIS, well—I don't have to tell you what she can do."

"I'm not doubting her, Doctor." Alistair put a hand up, and looked at the Doctor's young face, thinking that they both had known each other for long enough and it wasn't fair that he just continued to be younger looking all the time. "It just seems odd that after all your faces, you choose this one to have some sort of punctuality."

"Just consider it a skill I'm learning with time." The Doctor watched his smirk, and hesitated saying what was coming next. "I have to take the younger one back."

"I know." He sighed, and the realization hit the Doctor.

"She knows, Liz knows I mean." The Doctor pointed his finger towards her room before touching his chin, and Alistair looked at him and nodded. "Fantastic. S'not often I come across a paradox of my own, except for that whole nonsense with River. I still don't know what she—"

The Doctor waved his hands about. "Doctor—"

"Right, so I guess I better talk with her then. Find out what she knows and all."

"Yes. You probably should." He sighed, preparing to turn and walk away when the Doctor put his hand to his shoulder.

"Something wrong, Brigadier?"

"There are some things, Doctor, that I will never know." He motioned his head towards his wife's room.

"And you're afraid?" The Doctor didn't finish his statement. "Honestly, Brigadier, there's nothing to be afraid of. Liz will still be Liz, you'll still be you. I'll still be—magnificent. There's nothing wrong with changing a little time now and then."

"Easy for you to say."

"No, there's nothing easy about it. Time is much too fragile to say anything about being easy. However, when you know what's coming, it makes it smoother, more consistent. Because I know this happened before, I know it will have to happen again, and again, and again." The Doctor made a forward circular motion with his fingers.

"Now you're just trying to give an old man a headache, Doctor. Go on, talk to Lizzie. She's waiting for you. She'll tell you what you need to know."

"Right, okay." The Doctor clapped his hands together and moved forward towards Liz's room.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor, Martha, Sarah, and Rory help Liz into the TARDIS.

"Bloody hell." Liz hissed through the pain, gripping Rory's hand with one hand, and the Doctor's with the other as they helped her out of the wheelchair, supporting most of her upper weight as they made their way to the TARDIS doors.

"Doctor, I don't know if this is such a great idea." Martha said, standing behind Liz with Sarah, holding up their hands in case Liz fell backwards. As the Doctor reached the all ready open door, he opened the second door to his left in order to give them more width.

He then came around to the front of Liz as Sarah shifted into his former position of keeping Liz upright. Rory and Sarah exchanged looks as Liz, barefoot, took her first step into the TARDIS.

"Look, see? She's walking, aren't you Liz?" The Doctor's gaze didn't linger as he knew Liz's clammy glare would only make him hesitate, and she was already hesitating enough by being stuck in the doorway. "Just have to get you settled. Grew a special brand new Zero Room, just for this."

"Seriously?" Sarah and Martha's faces lifted, while Rory's looked confused. Sarah then shook her head, returning her attention to Liz. "Never mind. It's alright, Liz, one step at a time."

"Uh, Doctor, Liz—May I?" Rory motioned and Liz nodded her head as he eased her into his arms and against his chest. Liz bit her lip and waited for him to continue. "I'll count to three and then lift? Make it a bit easier?"

She then held her eyes shut tight as she made space by moving back a little, bracing her arms on top of his shoulders and felt him scoop her up into his arms. She had to admit it was nice having the pressure off of her leg as Rory continued speaking. "Point me in the right direction, Doctor."

"Yes, of course. This way, Rory. Just be careful," the Doctor said. Sarah scratched her forehead as Rory followed the Doctor around the console and out of the console room.

"Do we think he ever really tells us anything?" Martha had closed the TARDIS doors and had stepped up next to Sarah as she sighed.

"I think not, sometimes," she said. "Only what's absolutely necessary, about five minutes after you needed to know it."

"Well, at least he's consistent." Martha shrugged her shoulders. "No matter what face he wears."

"You really have no idea." Sarah smirked, now with her arms crossed as the Doctor reappeared without warning, noticing the looks on his friends' faces.

"Alright, I'm not even going to ask what the two of you were talking about. From the look on your faces, I'm sure I could make several accurate guesses." He started fiddling with the various switches and knobs of the console as Martha rolled her eyes.

"And that would be my cue to get off." Martha pointed a finger towards the sudden tiny sounds coming from the console as well as the Doctor, who was walking the other way. "Too many Doctors on this TARDIS."

"But, Martha Jones, think of all the fun we could have." The Doctor had turned and leaned on the console railing, a smirk crossing his features. "You, me, Sarah Jane, and Rory. We could take Liz back and have any number of adventures between now and then."

"Now, I know you're just messing about." Martha made a circle with her finger. "You know perfectly well that there is a little girl and a Liz that still need me. Besides, there's no telling where we would end up and I for one, would like to be home when Mickey returns, not arriving a week later. Goodbye, Sarah Jane. Please be careful. Don't let this one trap you anywhere."

As if to illustrate her point, Martha waved her hands about, imitating the Doctor.

"Who, him? Never." Sarah smiled and waved as Martha turned, shoving her hands into her lab coat as she exited the TARDIS.

"Don't tell me you're going to leave me too," the Doctor said as Sarah walked the rest of the way up the ramp towards him. "I hate goodbyes."

"Nope. You're stuck with me. At least, until you get Liz back to where she's supposed to be." Sarah touched the console, and was delighted when the console hummed and blinked back at her. "After all, I promised the Brigadier we'd get her back in one piece."

"Ah, so he didn't trust me?" The Doctor eyed her movements, and saw her reaching for the dematerialisation switch. With her hand gripping the switch and one eyebrow raised, she waited for him to give the word that she could pull it.

The Doctor laughed. "Oh, my Sarah Jane, always staying on track, are we? Right, go on then."

Sarah's hand pulled the switch as the sudden shudder forced them to each grab a side of the console. The Doctor moved around, never letting go completely as he reached for the hammer and hit the underside of the console. "Into the vortex we go, where we stop, no one knows! Geronimo!"

Standing next to Sarah now, he laughed again before focusing his concentration on the task at hand. "Sarah, pull that lever."

"This one?" She pointed to the one sticking out closest to her.

"No, the one next to it. Pull it three-fourths the way towards you and careful not to touch the button next to it. Wouldn't want to end up in zero gravity." He hit one button with the palm of his hand, and slowly felt the TARDIS's shift into the vortex. "Do you remember the rest?"

He had hardly gotten the words out of his mouth before he felt the deck plating stabilise under his feet as he turned a few knobs. "Flown like a true Time Lady, Sarah. Would have passed your TARDIS certification with flying colours." He moved around the console, smiling to himself.

"I had a good teacher." She smiled, pleased with herself. It had been a long time since she had had the opportunity to use the skills that he had once taught her.

"Now, where in the Vortex are we exactly?"

"I'd imagine somewhere between the present and 1976." Sarah moved to look at the monitor for herself as Rory came into the room.

"What the hell was that? I just barely got her situated and the two of you have us—whizzing about into the Vortex. It's not natural to have that much shaking and moving when you're trying to heal, Doctor."

"Well, it was Sarah's driving." The Doctor grinned.

"Excuse me? I didn't hit the console with a hammer. She probably feels insulted." Sarah took a step back, leaning against the rails as the Doctor continued to poke and prod the console.

"Our sincerest apologies, Rory. And TARDIS." The Doctor smirked, rubbing the console for good measure. "We were just trying to give Liz a little more time to heal before plunking her back down in her own time."

"Is she alright, Liz I mean?" Sarah asked next, and Rory shrugged his shoulders.

"Considering the Doctor here wanted her to levitate three feet off the floor, I'd say not."

"Oh, that's not so bad. It's really much easier than it looks, Rory," Sarah said. "You just have to clear your mind, and the rest comes quite easy."

"Yes, well, some people would prefer a bed at their back, which is what Liz is currently laying on. The TARDIS gave me a bit of help." Rory refrained from sticking his tongue out at the Doctor, even though he wanted to.

"I'm sure she's fine, Rory. I'll go check on her." Sarah touched his arm before walking out of the room.

\--

  
Sarah wasn't used to seeing a hospital bed in the middle of the Zero Room, but sure enough, there it was with Liz curled up on it, her boots sitting on the floor next to the wheels of the bed.

"Didn't trust levitating?" She tried to smile, as Liz opened her eyes and straightened up.

"The Doctor has a number of crazy ideas, and that is just one of them." Liz sighed. "But I must admit, I do feel remarkably better."

"That's the power of the Zero Room." Sarah walked up to the side of Liz's bed, closed her eyes and focused. She then sat backwards on the air, her arms pillowing the air as if it was an oversized chair. Liz's eyes could hardly believe it.

"Now, I know I'm crazy," Liz said, as Sarah pulled her legs up under her in a lotus style position. "But that defies the laws gravity. How is that scientifically possible?"

Sarah smiled. "Clear your head and you'll float too. It doesn't hurt. What have you got to lose?"

"Just my pride." Liz sighed, and then flipped onto her back, her eyes closed. Taking deep breaths, she tried to clear her mind. "It's no use. I'm really thinking that you all are just trying to trick me."

"No, we're not. We're really not." Sarah laughed. "You forget I know you a little better than you think I do. Close your eyes, and clear your head. Think about something happy if it helps."

Sarah watched Liz for a moment, and saw the struggle on her face. "Oh, come on, I know there's something that makes you happy. Your work, for one. Then there's your family and friends, or maybe even somewhere you've been? A favourite moment?"

After several seconds, a small genuine smile formed on her lips. It was then that Liz found herself six inches above the bed.

"Oh my God, Sarah Jane. Look at me." Liz couldn't believe herself, as opened her eyes and inspected her hand before letting it sit back down and float. "Oh, God, I've gone and done it. Something I never swore I'd do."

"What's that?" Sarah laughed.

"I'm actually believing the Doctor."

"Oh, come now, Liz. Surely, you believed him before, just a little?" Sarah rested her palms on her knees. Liz sat up, propping her elbows on the air as she blinked several times.

"About aliens, yes? Floating on air? Not quite. But, it does beat the hell out of putting pressure on anything." Liz smiled, motioning to the gauze sticking out of the edge of her dress. "And the Doctor grew this room?"

"The TARDIS did most of the work, but it was his idea."

"Thank you, Sarah Jane. For helping me find my happy place," Liz said quietly, lying on her back once more. She could feel a strange calm effect building within her, and took a wild guess that it was because of the room she was in.

"Oh, you're welcome." Sarah watched as Liz took a deep breath and closed her eyes, settling her hands on her stomach. Sarah then smiled. She knew the effect of the Zero Room rather well.

She then waited until she knew for certain Liz was asleep before dropping her legs to the floor and heading for the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah, Rory, and the Doctor putter around in the console room for a bit.

Rory walked into the console room to see Sarah manning the console, as the Doctor stood underneath its glass floor, wrapped in several wires with several gadgets at his feet.

"Sarah? Sarah, go on—Give her a good whirl, but don't let her fool you. She can be a bit tetchy about pulling on her." He shouted up, moving around the bottom of the Time Rotor with little attention to the fact that Rory had entered.

"Is there a problem?" Having changed out of his scrubs and into a fresh set of clothes, Rory shoved his hands in his back pockets, and scanned the console to see what Sarah and the Doctor were doing.

"Oh, no, just something the Doctor was fiddling around with." Sarah tried to budge the lever, only to find that she didn't have the strength. She tried twice before looking to Rory. "Huh—Don't suppose you could help an old woman and pull the lever?"

Rory started to say something, but the Doctor's shout saved him from having to think of an appropriate response other than 'okay'.

"For the last time, you are not old, Sarah." They heard him shout from below, placing both hands on the rotor. "Talk to me after you've passed nine-hundred. Where have you been, Rory? You could have been helping Sarah and I instead of running around the TARDIS."

"Yes, well, I told you I was going. You were too busy doing whatever under the console to actually you know, pay attention. I passed Sarah in the hall as I went to check back in on our patient. You know, the one that's resting and the reason we're all here? I didn't think it was asking too much to change into a fresh set of clothes either, Doctor."

"Who needs fresh clothes when there's a TARDIS to work on?" He tapped the rotor with his finger, and Rory rolled his eyes as Sarah stifled a laugh.

"I think you forget who you're talking to, Rory. The Doctor becomes quite preoccupied when working on the TARDIS," Sarah said with a smirk. "But he wasn't kidding about that lever. That thing won't move an inch."

Rory reached for the lever, trying to pull on it with one hand before using both hands to pull on it with all of his strength. After several failed attempts, he just gave up.

"You weren't kidding," Rory said.

"Nope." Sarah motioned at it, obviously annoyed. "God only knows what he's done to this thing in three hundred years to make it stick like that."

"Three hundred years? Really? And he was an adult then?"

"Oh, mostly definitely, except that he looked completely different. I'm always surprised by how much he's changed, although I wonder what he would say to himself if he could see himself now."

"Oy, no talking about the aging Time Lord as if he wasn't present and perfectly capable of answering for himself in which case I do not have to dignify either of you with an answer." The Doctor came out from underneath, and saw Rory staring at Sarah's incredulous look. "Alright, so maybe I owe you, Sarah Jane, but you Rory haven't been with me long enough for those kind of answers. I did warn you about that the lever, didn't I? Grab that hammer, Sarah. Give the old girl a good whack."

"Oh, so now you want me to insult her?" Sarah picked up the hammer in question, and held it pointed towards him. "I'm not sure I like that idea. She's always liked me."

The Doctor came around and up the ramp, taking the hammer away from Sarah and going to the opposite side of the console where they were standing. He did his best not to grumble as he said, "One good hit never hurt a friendship, did it? Depending on the context of course."

"I'd much prefer to stay on her good side, Doctor, thank you very much." Sarah leaned back against the console rail with her arms crossed, waiting for him to use the hammer.

He hit the hammer under the console three times before bending down to inspect the spot and rub it gently with his fingers. He then spoke in a soothing voice to his ship, hoping that she would understand. "Oh, now that wasn't so bad, was it? I'm sorry we can't get you a proper tune up."

He straightened back up, and sniffed before bracing both of his hands on the console, and looking up and down the rotor wistfully. "Go on, Sarah. Try the lever now. Maybe we can straighten up the old girl yet."

Rory snorted, and the Doctor looked over at him as Sarah pulled the lever and found that it pulled easily. "Don't sound so surprised, _Mr._ Pond. Sarah? That should fix things nicely, thank you. If you'll excuse me."

The Doctor didn't say anything else as he came around the console and exited the room. Rory waited for a moment before circling the console himself as Sarah once again leaned against the rail with her arms crossed. She noticed the look of discomfort on Rory's face.

"Grouchy to playful back to grouchy in two-point-six seconds. Don't mind him, Rory," she said, trying to be encouraging. "He's just like that sometimes, I'm afraid. You get used to it after a while and give him his space."

"I know—" He paused, before looking at Sarah. "I'm really getting quite familiar with his sudden moods. Amy often tells me that I shouldn't mind him. That it's just the way he is. You remind me of Amy, the way you seem to get him."

"I've known him a long time, Rory." Sarah said, thinking about her relationship with the Doctor and how it had changed over time. "Suppose I'm just used to it."

"We both know that there's more to it than that—I thought maybe Amy and River's trip would help make things easier, give me a chance to finally get him but then—" He looked to the floor. "Then everything happened with Liz and—It's a stupid thought."

Sarah shifted, as the conversation took a sudden change. She was reminded of the first time she had met up with the Doctor again, and the dynamic between the Doctor, Rose, and Mickey. The situation certainly wasn't one hundred percent the same, but she could see the similarities.

"It's not a stupid thought, Rory." She straightened, taking a step forward and dropping her arms. "The Doctor is—well, he's a brilliant yet extremely complicated being. I know he cares for you and Amy both. You're certainly not the tin dog."

It was obvious that Rory didn't get the reference as he tilted his head at her, and waited for her to continue. "The Doctor shows everyone that travels with him the best and sometimes worst that the universe has to offer. He just has his own peculiar way of showing how much he cares. He is lucky to have you and Amy with him."

Rory thought about it.

"It doesn't feel that way though. Just feels like I'm standing on the outside looking in, completely missing the point of the joke between the two of them, cramping their style."

"Oh, Rory." Sarah moved closer to him. "I know you love Amy just as I know that Amy loves you. Whatever her relationship is or isn't with the Doctor? It'll never compare to the one that she has with you. You'll always be her choice."

She gave him a genuine smile, knowing that he had more than that on his mind, and now wasn't the time to address it. She was close enough now that she could put an arm around him, much like her son. "And I saw how you handled yourself with everything that went on with Liz and Katie. You didn't flinch, you kept your cool, and helped make sure that everything went smoothly. You helped save their lives, and the Doctor couldn't have done that without you."

He smiled, feeling Sarah's approval. "You really think so?"

"I know so." She smiled again as the Doctor appeared in the doorway with one of Liz's arms across his shoulders and her boots in his right hand. Rory moved quickly to her side, wanting to help support her when Liz pulled away from the Doctor and put a hand up at Rory's attempt to help, taking a few steps forward on her own accord.

"I'm not a bloody invalid. I can manage on my own." She huffed, reaching for the console rail and looking up and down the Time Rotor. She knew she would never truly know its complete workings, but it still fascinated her brain more than she would have ever expected.

The rail kept her upright as she moved along, only stopping once to lean up against it for support. The Doctor noticed her scientific curiosity getting the better of her physical body even as Rory noticed her eyes closing as she winced in pain.

Rory was the next one to speak. "Liz, what we did was a fairly invasive procedure. I really think you should get as much rest in the Doctor's Zero Room as possible."

"Nonsense, I really feel much better," Liz said, and looked over to see the Doctor's expression. "I certainly can't lie down all the time, Doctor."

"I honestly can't believe I'm saying this, but I fully agree with Rory here. Besides, you seem to be under the impression that we're in some sort of hurry, which we are not," the Doctor said. "We could stay floating about in the Vortex for as long as you needed to heal properly. It's obvious your body is trying to communicate with your brain, and you're tuning it out."

Liz eyed him for a moment as he came up to where she was leaning. He tapped her on the nose before pointing his finger at her. "Which, my dear girl, shame on you. I would think you would know better being a brilliant doctor of science like myself and all."

From the warm smile and look in his eyes, Liz felt as if she was seeing the Doctor he used to be. Unfortunately, the pain in her hip broke her from her thoughts, and she sighed.

"Doctor, you've dragged me from my own time to a future in which I saved my hypothetical granddaughter and myself from death. Right now, all I'd like is a good cup of tea in my own home and then my own bed to wrap my brain around things. That isn't too much to ask, surely."

"If we take you home now, there isn't a Doctor or a TARDIS around to make sure you heal properly." Sarah piped up. "Oh, I understand how traumatic this all must be for you, Liz. It's scary to see the things that may or may not happen in your future. But, you can't just go home and pretend like nothing happened."

"Who says I'm going to pretend nothing happened?" Liz eyed Sarah now much as she had the Doctor a few moments before. "I just want to go back to where I belong."

"Don't you think you're being a bit obstinate?" The Doctor spoke next, as Liz turned her head. "I mean, I'm quite an authority on being obstinate, but I'm beginning to wonder if you could rival my reputation."

"Doctor," she said, visibly getting upset. "Whatever silly little rules you have that you want me to follow, or things you do and don't want me to avoid doing, I'll follow them to the letter. Please. Just. Take. Me. Home."

"Now now, dear Liz, there's no reason to get upset." He touched her shoulder, giving her another warm smile. "If you want to go home, then we will most certainly get you home immediately. But, you will have to rest. Working in your lab is out of the question."

"Fine," Liz said, trying her best not to clench her teeth.

"Is there anyone you can contact, should you need anything?" Rory asked next, and in response, Liz turned and nodded her head, thinking that she could in fact call Alistair and he would come if it were an absolute emergency. In her time, they were friends, after all.

"I guess it's settled then. Rory--I don't suppose you'd like to help Sarah and I pilot the TARDIS, would you?" The Doctor turned away from Liz, and towards the console. "It's always better to pilot with more than one person. I think it's high time you learned the skill for yourself."

"Really? You're not joking?" Rory looked to Sarah, who nodded her head in approval with a smile. "Sure, I mean, absolutely—"

"Good, Sarah, would you please help Liz over there?" The Doctor motioned to the seat. "This could get a little bumpy."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything is righted.

One Week Later

  
Alistair walked with Liz's arm looped through his elbow, his cane tapping against the trail of asphalt circling the park. Not far from where they were walking, Katie was bouncing and skipping around in front of them, enjoying her newfound strength by twirling around in circles that caused both of her grandparents to smile.

"Quite the ball of energy." Alistair motioned ahead, and Liz both smiled and sighed at the same time. "I think she gets that from you."

"Oh, no. She gets that from her mother, I'm afraid. I never had that kind of energy." Liz shook her head, and Alistair reached over and gave her hand a small squeeze.

"That's what you think." He smiled, and Liz couldn't get over how intense his smile was. Ever since she had awoken, he smiled more, and she couldn't help but think back to all those years ago. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Grampa, Gramma, look at me!" Katie did a cartwheel in the grass ahead, and both of them turned their heads to pay attention.

"That's beautiful, darling. Stay on the grass, please. Where we can see you." Liz called out, returning to the silence as she and Alistair approached the edge of the grass. A park bench was nearby, and they both walked towards it, making sure that either one of them could keep an eye on Katie at all times.

As they sat down, Alistair dropped his arm, but once they were settled, he reached for Liz's hand and put it on his knee for safekeeping. She waited only a moment before leaning into him, putting her head on his shoulder.

"I never thought I'd see you again," she said quietly as he leaned his head against hers. She then turned her head for a second, kissing his shoulder before turning her head back. Her eyes grew glassy, but she didn't care.

"The feeling's mutual, dear." Alistair pulled his hand away and put his arm around her, holding her close. It was unusual for her to stay so close when they were out, but he didn't mind. The last few days had been more than trying, so he understood perfectly. They both watched Katie plucking at the grass. "It was like travelling back in time to see that you again. So young, so different."

"Not all that different." She looked up at him.

"She wasn't you, Lizzie. Not yet." Alistair paused. He wanted to ask her about what happened all those years ago, but knew that it probably wasn't the best idea to come right out and ask. Not while she was still processing everything.

\--

  
_"Right, here we are. Please, watch your step, Liz. Rory? We need to get her in the house, and then make sure she's settled, and then we'll be off." The Doctor had parked the TARDIS in Liz's small, but adequate backyard. As Sarah and Rory helped Liz, he moved towards the back door, clearing the way._

\--

  
"His TARDIS is nothing short of magnificent, you know." Liz's hand came up to rest on his chest as he nodded his head.

"I know."

"Why did we never travel with him? Like Sarah Jane, or Martha, or Rory?" She angled her head towards him.

"Well, maybe because we weren't meant to." He looked down at her, and smiled. "We can't all have wings, Lizzie. Some of us were meant for the ground while others have the stars in their eyes. It's what makes us special, you know."

\--

  
_Sarah and Rory had said their goodbyes, and made for the TARDIS as the Doctor stayed behind to talk to Liz. She sat in her favourite chair again, a cup of hot tea sitting next to her and a warm blanket covering her legs. He paced back and forth for several moments, trying to decide what to tell her to do._

_"You look concerned." Liz picked up her teacup and took a sip before sitting it back down._

"I am—Sort of, well, maybe just a little. It's not often I pluck people from their timelines and bring them back to where they started. I was careful enough to calculate real time though, so you were only gone as long as you were actually gone." He crouched down in front of her, looking up. "That being said, I'm not sure what kind of precedent to use here."

"You could just make something up—" Her lips curved into a smile. "I'll never tell anyone if you're wrong."

"Heh, now that might be a promise that's worth keeping." He held up a finger, and smiled as he looked her straight in the eye. He remembered what the older Liz had told him about this moment. "We have to think of the timelines here. You know more than you probably should."

"Maybe, but in some respects, I know nothing at all. I don't know how Alistair and I get together, or have a child, much less Katie. I think I'm fairly safe with the little I know, Doctor."

"There have been worse things to know, that's for certain." He tried to smile again, knowing that that was what Liz had told him she was going to say. He then scratched the back of his head. "I just need you to be careful. Frankly, I don't know what happens next though it's quite obvious that I've altered your timeline before."

\--

  
"He wanted me to be careful, you know." Liz sat back up suddenly, and Alistair allowed her the space as she leaned forward, keeping her eyes on Katie. "But, I didn't know how to be careful. What if I did something or said something that was the wrong thing?"

She paused. "Then he asked if I wanted to block it all away. Until it actually happened."

\--

  
_"I'd prefer you not share the details of this with Alistair as I'm sure it would only make him cross with me." He stood up and stepped away before turning to face her, his hands in his pockets. "We can make it so that you don't remember this until it actually happens. It would save you from having to worry about it."_

_He saw the colour drain from Liz's face._

_"You would really do that? Take away everything I've done, everything I've seen?" Her voice changed, and was no longer warm or friendly. She shook her head. She didn't want to erase what she had seen, whether it ever came to fruition or not. Not when she could remember the feeling of Alistair's hand in hers, and the look on Katie's face as she was told a story. She didn't want to wait to remember those things. "No."_

_"What?" The Doctor watched her, and Liz's cheeks felt warm as she looked up._

_"I know you won't understand this, Doctor, but I need to remember." She watched his face change. "I'm more adept at keeping secrets than you think."_

\--

  
"He let me keep my memories." Liz sighed. "Though he was quite insistent that I needed to be careful. The crescent scar, the odd intuitions about certain things, it was because I knew ahead of time. I wasn't always right but I am sorry, Alistair. I never meant to deceive you."

Alistair took a deep long sigh. He was right when he had told her younger self that she knew she loved him before he had ever voiced the words. He had essentially planted the idea that would help continue their pattern without even realizing it.

"Remind me to tell Sarah Jane to thank him. From the both of us." He smiled, and then touched her cheek, forcing her to smile as well. "I suppose we both did our parts in changing things."

"Changing things? Who's changing things?" The Doctor's voice brought them back to the present as Liz leaned on both of her palms, and Alistair looked over to see the tweed version of him standing in front of them. "Have you both been dealing with another Doctor behind my back? I'm hurt."

The Doctor feigned a chest pain as Liz shook her head.

"Impeccable timing, Doctor," Alistair said, and the Doctor smiled, and pointed a thumb back towards the TARDIS.

"Afraid I can't take all the credit. We've been giving Rory a few lessons. Turns out he's quite a natural at landings though his takeoffs need a little work." The Doctor looked over his shoulder to see Rory standing in the doorway of the TARDIS. Alistair gave a small wave that Rory returned with a large smile and wave of his own. "We just dropped Sarah off and were on our way to picking up Amy and River in Egypt when he suggested a pit stop. I couldn't have agreed more. Hello, Katie!"

The Doctor turned and waved at their granddaughter, and Katie's grin was infectious as she waved back. "So, I take it you two have been catching up?"

"Somewhat," Liz said, concealing most of her smile. "Has there been any word on the Elvii?"

"Not something you need to worry about." The Doctor remembered his other slight pit stop, to the Shadow Proclamation where he demanded that the Elvii have their intergalactic travel rights revoked. The Shadow Proclamation was only too happy to agree after the Doctor told them what had happened on Earth. "I took care of it personally."

"Really? Well, enlighten me, Doctor."

"Oh, Liz, must I? Can't you just take me at my word, for once? Let's just say, they'll never bother the Earth again." The Doctor sighed as Katie ran up, and he turned his attention to her as Alistair and Liz just exchanged glances.

"Doctor? Are you going to take us in the TARDIS?" The Doctor touched the back of her head gently, and smiled down at her.

"No, Katie, I'm afraid you're a bit young to travel with me just yet. But, maybe one day, hmm? When you're all grown up." He noticed the look on Alistair and Liz's face. "If you're not all ready helping Grampa and Gramma save the world by then. They like to do that you know."

"Grampa?" Katie turned her attention to Alistair, who was now resting his arm across Liz's back.

"Yes, Katie, dear?"

"Can I help save the world one day?" She stood directly in front of him, her head tilted.

"You can do anything you wish." Alistair ignored the fact that the Doctor was trying to hold his hand over his gleeful smirk. "As long as you make sure to always be on the lookout, and always put safety first. That's an order."

Katie ran off towards the TARDIS where Rory was now standing outside, leaning up against the blue police box. "Did you hear that Rory? Grampa says I can help save the world!"

"You're going to have another one on your hands, someday, Doctor," Liz said, smiling at her granddaughter as Rory bent down and took peak interest in what the five-year old had to say. "I hope you're prepared for it."

"A whole new generation of Lethbridge-Stewarts to look after." The Doctor smiled. "I think I can manage."

"Good, because if anything happens to her after I'm gone, I will come back from the grave and haunt you myself." Liz stood up and came close to him, and he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

"I'll do my best." He held on longer than she expected him to, and she was grateful, grateful that after all these years she could still remember. She took a step back, and looked into his eyes, and his nod was evident.

He understood what she was trying to say. They'd had a close working friendship before during their time at UNIT, but he knew that changing time had only strengthened things.

"Katie, darling, say goodbye to Rory. The Doctor's going to take off, and I don't want you in that thing. A safe distance please." Liz motioned to the TARDIS. Rory gave Katie a quick hug before she scampered off back towards them. "Goodbye, Doctor."

Liz reached up to give his arm a squeeze.

"If we never see you again—Thank you, Doctor," Alistair said. "For everything."

"You're welcome, but never say never, Brigadier." The Doctor smiled. "For you never know where I might turn up, or even if I'll be this face. I've got a lot of faces floating around now. Various timelines and all."

"Fair enough. Goodbye, Doctor." Alistair smirked. "Safe journeys."

"Goodbye." He waited a moment before turning and walking away from them and towards the TARDIS. However, when he heard Katie speak, he looked over his shoulder and gave a half-smile.

"Gramma, tell me a story."

"A story, hmm? And what kind of story would you like? One about monsters and aliens that were far beyond what you could imagine?" Katie's nod was evident as Liz took her hand and sat back down next to Alistair, who had been resting his arm against the back of the bench. "How about I tell you about the first time I met the Doctor? Nothing too scary in that one."

The Doctor slowed his pace so that he could hear the opening line of the story. "You see, Katie, one day, I got this call from your Grampa, only he wasn't quite your Grampa yet. He wanted me to come work for him—"

The Doctor didn't stop smiling all the way back to the TARDIS.


End file.
